I became a fan of Ms. Hogan’s when I read her Coming About series. I loved her writing, character development and stories so I knew I had to read this book. And although it was a really, really tough read, I’m glad I read it. Both boys’ growth and maturity as well as learning to live and love was a long arduous journey.

Jonah suffered a MAJOR trauma as a child that was never properly dealt with. I hate his mother for not getting him the help he needed as a child and for basically sweeping it under the carpet. Jonah was stuck…knowing he had issues, knowing what triggered them, knowing when to check himself into Riverbend to stay safe and keep other safe…but not really wanting to live past breathing. He accepted that he will be a mess forever and didn’t really want to do much more than get through each episode. Until he met Cameron and realized he might actually want more out of life than taking up space. He has a humorously dry wit and a pretty great personality hidden beneath all the pain and suffering. He really just needs to be nurtured back to life.

Cameron is a bit of a mess. He’s repressed his real self for years and never been true to himself, always doing what his father wanted and living for everyone around him. It finally took him crashing and burning for him to see what was going on with his life. His recovery at Riverbend was great to watch…he was a great addition to their staff while taking his life back. He is a good man and perfect for nurturing Jonah back to life.

Their love story takes time to unfold, as it should while they both get the help they need. It worked perfectly with their story.

Overall, this is a very good albeit tough story to read.